Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God’s compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin — no matter how great it may be — that can overcome at any time His love for man.
The Red Envelope Project
Since traveling to Washington, DC for the March for life I have been looking for concrete ways to be involved in the Respect for Life movement. I believe now more than ever we need to band together and let our government know what we think. I know some people feel that our voices will go unheard but that does not mean we should stop shouting.
So today in my RSS feed came news of the Red Envelope Project. This is quite simple. Get a red envelope, address it to the President with the following message on the back:
This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception.
Do not seal the envelope and just mail it to the President. Then of course pray.
For more information go to: http://www.redenvelopeproject.org/
Teen Birth Rate Part II
Without pointing fingers, because as I mentioned in my recent post, pointing fingers does nothing but get people all excited for no reason. We need to find answers and solutions. It is time we roll our sleeves up and try and find the reason this is happening and then try and find a solution. This issue is far too important for us to just ring our hands and walk away from.
Parents are the first line educators of our children. Sex education belongs at home not in the classroom. Why would you want someone else teaching your kids one of the most important lessons of life. Teachers have more than enough to do with Big Brother making them teach to a test so let’s not burden then with any thing more.
So I am suggesting the following. A meeting, a summit meeting if you will, let us get together educators, parents, clergy, and maybe the politicians, and put our heads together and come up with some kind of a plan. We spend a lot of time trying to make life better in Southbridge. We are against the land fill, we are against the methadone clinic, and we are against babies having babies. So let’s do something about it. Maybe there is nothing we can do, but we have to try.
So leave me some comments, even if you are not from Southbridge, and let me know if this is a good idea and I will get the ball rolling.
Teenage birth rate on rise
I read this story in the local paper yesterday and then we talked about it on the air and I am still at a loss for words. Those of you who know me know how hard it is to get me not to say anything. I am still trying to find the correct response. I do not want to blame anyone because those days are gone. We need to stop blaming and find answers and solutions that will work.
Right away people were quick to blame the minority population of our town but that is not helpful either. Let’s see if we can put our heads together and come up with some response.
Washington Post Shame!
We are in the midst of the worst economic crisis in many generations and this dope asks the President what he think of an over paid child. Shame on this reporter, Shame on the Washington post if the don’t throw this bum out on his, well bum, and shame on the President of the United States for dignifying this question with an answer.
A Rod time for you and the rest of your drug addict pals to leave the field in shame!
Cross Posted from Worcester Sports Roundup
On Saturday my cousin Jane from Panama found me on Facebook. I have not seen her in about 5 years and it was good to connect with her. But what happened after that is the stuff that legends are made of.
My mother’s family is rather large, she is one of 10 and it has grown since then, I believe at last count there are about 300 of us running around out there somewhere. Every so often we have a reunion where we catch up and meet up with old a new family members. The first one was 29 years ago in Florida and we have had two more since then, one in Colorado and one in Quincy. Another one is being planned for 2010 in Nashville, TN.
So when cousin Jane contacted me I looked at her friend list and 5 hours latter I have like 50 new friends all cousins and aunts and uncles, and my brother who I did not even know was on Facebook, subject for a long discussion with him…
So this weekend was filled with catching up with family and friends on Facebook. This is no way replaces real actual meetings and conversation, but it sets the stage and will keep us connected to each other. There has been a lot of crap written about Facebook and the other sites around but I think it is worth the time to sign up, it takes all of about 5 minutes, and then start looking around you will be surprised who you might find. I have not only connected with family but friends from the old neighborhood, from college, from High School, from my days in the Army it has been great.
So what are you waiting for, go sign up: www.facebook.com after you do look me up and make me your friend.
Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.
Paczki
Paczki is a Polish doughnut, I guess that’s what it is, is like a jelly doughnut on steroids. This is amazing and is filled with lemon or blueberry. I am not sure if they come in other flavors but those are the two I have.
I understand they are a traditional pre lent desert and once lent arrives it is bye bye Paczki. I will have to go into rehab after that.
Governor of Massachusetts Goes High Tech
Beacon Hill goes digital – LOL
Boston Globe
In the meeting rooms and corridors of the State House, he’s known as Mr. Governor or, when formal settings dictate, His Excellency. But to Governor Deval Patrick’s more than 9,000 Facebook friends he’s known alternately as D Pat, DP, or Uncle D.
Some state senators are so focused on tapping away on their BlackBerrys, even during debate, that the Senate is considering banning the practice. Senate Republicans recently launched their own blog.
But other state officials, including Senate president Therese Murray and Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill leave the high-tech stuff to their aides. A BlackBerry for the new House speaker, Robert A. DeLeo? Not anytime soon. His staff says he is “a habitual cellphone user,” but nothing more.
In an age when most middle-school students are conversant in Twitter, Flickr, and Flotzam, leaders in state government demonstrate widely varying degrees of technical proficiency, giving the most wired elected officials an edge in the new political dialogue.
“Technology is really revolutionizing the way we communicate with people and the way they communicate with us,” said Senate minority leader Richard Tisei, who last month issued a Republican response to the governor’s State of the State speech – via video on YouTube.
Medical Board Revokes License of Abortion Practitioner in Florida Born Alive Case
The medical board held a hearing Friday in the case and found abortion practitioner Pierre Jean-Jacque Renelique guilty of medical malpractice.
The panel also found him guilty of wrongly delegating a medical responsibility meant for physicians to unlicensed personnel.
Renelique’s attorney, Joseph Harrison, told AP before the hearing that he thinks the allegations are “misguided and incomplete” but did not provide more information to back his claims. He did not provide any comments following the board’s decision.
According to witnesses, a young woman went to the GYN Diagnostic Center abortion facility in Hialeah, outside Miami, for an abortion. Sycloria Williams, 18, paid $1,200 for the abortion
Police say the 18-year-old had an abortion and returned the next day complaining of severe stomach pains.